*ASUU -LASU EXCO AND THEIR PURPOSEFUL FAKE NEWS*

Just as cancer destroys the critical cells of the body, it is obvious that a few individuals in ASUU - LASU are out to destroy the pristine of Lagos State University. I just read another piece written and signed by one Mr. Tony Dansu, the General Secretary of ASUU - LASU and Oyekan Adeolu, the Assistant General Secretary of ASUU - LASU.

For those of us who work at Alausa, the issue of LASU and the proclivity of ASUU - LASU exco to write and inundate the public with baseless and false information has proven to be an issue of great concern. When it comes to the administration of LASU, ASUU - LASU executive has grown a tendency to make a mountain out of a molehill. At the slightest challenge at the Lagos State University, this union leaders in ASUU flood the pages of newspapers and offices at Alausa with amplified reports on minor and mostly non-existent issues.

In the light of this proliferation of needless letters and newspaper publications, it is evident that ASUU - LASU Exco has a hidden agenda and their objective transcends any altruistic mission they claim to represent.

Despite the array of optimism and accolades that have greeted the resurgence of LASU in the past three years, ASUU - LASU exco has stubbornly refused to see anything good about the university administration. Instead of joining hands with other stakeholders in LASU to rebrand the Lagos State University and set it on course for greatness, ASUU - LASU exco has chosen to proliferate fake news and other concoctions all in a bid to whip up sentiments and advance a failed ulterior agenda.


In their most recent attempt to misinform the general public through a publication on cable news blog that a colleague at Alausa drew my attention to, ASUU - LASU exco made a spurious allegation that bordered around purported admission racketeering by unnamed officials of LASU.

ASUU - LASU made a mockery of itself when it failed to name these individuals that are involved in their alleged admission racketeering. If ASUU - LASU are indeed confident of their claims, they should do justice to truth and fairness by naming those individuals involved in their imaginary sham or desist from misinforming the public for their own selfish agenda. It is disheartening and unfortunate that some individuals who earn their source of livelihood from LASU can be so bent on plunging the university into a state of tension all in a bid to achieve certain selfish gains. LASU provides meal tickets for these individuals in ASUU - LASU exco and they are inviting their own wind of self-destruction if they continue to scheme against the peace and advancement of the university. Admission racketeering is unacceptable and I will never be a party to it. Nevertheless, the challenge of admission scam exists in virtually all Nigerian universities but for ASUU - LASU exco to have narrowed it down to the "highest offices" in LASU without substantiating it with any evidence smirks of mischief and a sinister agenda.


It is equally sad and quite revealing that ASUU - LASU exco suddenly lost its voice when three of its members were recently dismissed for sexually harassing innocent LASU female students. Not even the criminal act of sedation and rape of female students by Dr. Gbeleyi could ignite a word of condemnation from the duo of Tony Dansu and Adeolu Oyekan - the individuals that commandeer the affairs of ASUU - LASU. It is now crystal clear that ASUU - LASU exco letter headed papers, and press releases suspiciously go on vacations when students are sexually harassed by ASUU - LASU stalwarts.


ASUU - LASU exco have chosen to ignore front-burner issues such as the sexual harassment of innocent female students by even the inner circle members of ASUU - LASU like Dr. Johnson Oluwole Ayodele who was in the news for attempting to rape a female student in a hotel room in Lagos. ASUU - LASU turned deaf ears and blind eyes to all these lives threatening atrocities and have instead obsessed and buried themselves in the act of concocting stories, the proliferation of cheap blackmail, and fake news.


The antics, mischief, and misdeeds of some ASUU branches are now becoming a danger to our universities as evident in what is unraveling at the Federal University of Oye Ekiti in Ekiti State. Government at all levels and well-meaning Nigerians must rise to put these evil-minded men in their rightful places. We must be willing to speak out and we must do so bravely!


*Yusuf Akinola is a public affairs analyst at Alausa, Lagos.*